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We initiated a long-term and highly frequent monitoring project toward 442 methanol masers at 6.7 GHz (Dec >−30 deg) using the Hitachi 32-m radio telescope in December 2012. The observations have been carried out daily, monitoring a spectrum of each source with intervals of 9–10 days. In September 2015, the number of the target sources and intervals were redesigned into 143 and 4–5 days, respectively. This monitoring provides us complete information on how many sources show periodic flux variations in high-mass star-forming regions, which have been detected in 20 sources with periods of 29.5–668 days so far (e.g., Goedhart et al. 2004). We have already obtained new detections of periodic flux variations in 31 methanol sources with periods of 22–409 days. These periodic flux variations must be a unique tool to investigate high-mass protostars themselves and their circumstellar structure on a very tiny spatial scale of 0.1–1 au.

Insufficient nutrition during the perinatal period causes structural alterations in humans and experimental animals, leading to increased vulnerability to diseases in later life. Japanese quail, Coturnix japonica, in which partial (8–10%) egg white was withdrawn (EwW) from eggs before incubation had lower birth weights than controls (CTs). EwW birds also had reduced hatching rates, smaller glomeruli and lower embryo weight. In EwW embryos, the surface condensate area containing mesenchymal cells was larger, suggesting that delayed but active nephrogenesis takes place. In mature EwW quail, the number of glomeruli in the cortical region (mm2) was significantly lower (CT 34.7±1.4, EwW 21.0±1.2); capillary loops showed focal ballooning, and mesangial areas were distinctly expanded. Immunoreactive cell junction proteins, N-cadherin and podocin, and slit diaphragms were clearly seen. With aging, the mesangial area and glomerular size continued to increase and were significantly larger in EwW quail, suggesting compensatory hypertrophy. Furthermore, apoptosis measured by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick-end labeling analysis was higher in EwWs than in CTs on embryonic day 15 and postnatal day 4 (D4). Similarly, plasma glucocorticoid (corticosterone) was higher (P<0.01) on D4 in EwW quail. These results suggest that although nephrogenic activity is high in low-nutrition quail during the perinatal period, delayed development and increased apoptosis may result in a lower number of mature nephrons. Damaged or incompletely mature mesangium may trigger glomerular injury, leading in later life to nephrosclerosis. The present study shows that birds serve as a model for ‘fetal programming,’ which appears to have evolved phylogenetically early.

Little is known about the economic benefits of cognitive remediation and supported employment (CR + SE). The present study aimed to investigate the cost-effectiveness of CR + SE compared with traditional vocational services (TVS).

Method

Individuals with mental illness and low cognitive function were recruited at six sites in Japan. A total of 111 participants were randomly allocated to the CR + SE group or the TVS group. Clinical and vocational outcomes were assessed at baseline and 12-month follow-up. Service utilization data were collected monthly. The data on outcomes and costs were combined to examine cost-effectiveness.

Results

The data were obtained from a total of 92 participants. The CR + SE group resulted in better vocational and clinical outcomes (employment rate, 62.2%; work tenures, 78.6 days; cognitive improvement, 0.5) than the TVS group (19.1%, 24.9 days and 0.2). There was no significant difference in mean total costs between the groups (CR + SE group: $9823, s.d. = $6372, TVS group: $11 063, s.d. = $11 263) with and without adjustment for covariates. However, mean cost for medical services in the CR + SE group was significantly lower than that in the TVS group after adjusting covariates (Β = −$3979, 95% confidence interval −$7816 to −$143, p = 0.042). Cost-effectiveness acceptability curves for vocational outcomes illustrated the high probabilities (approximately 70%) of the CR + SE group being more cost-effective than TVS when society is not willing to pay additional costs.

Conclusions

CR + SE appears to be a cost-effective option for people with mental illness who have low cognitive functioning when compared with TVS.

We have made 12CO(J=1−0) observations of the LMC with NANTEN. We report the results of a comparison between CO clouds and SNRs in the LMC. Among the 35 known SNRs, only 10 are possibly associated with CO clouds. These 10 CO clouds and SNRs deserve follow-up studies for possible interactions. We present overlays of CO clouds on the optical images of some of these SNRs.

We have made a 12CO(J = 1−0) survey of the LMC with NANTEN. A sample of 55 giant molecular clouds has been identified and comparisons with stellar clusters, HII regions and SNRs are presented. The connection between the clouds and cluster formation is discussed.

We have made 12CO(J=1-0) observations in the LMC with NANTEN, and compared the detected giant molecular clouds (GMCs) with HII regions and stellar clusters. It is found that ~ 80% of the GMCs are associated with HII regions. The results of comparisons of the GMCs with the HII regions and the stellar clusters are presented.

We have made 12CO(J=1−0) observations of the LMC with the NANTEN millimeter-wave telescope and identified about 100 distinct giant molecular clouds (GMCs). A detailed comparison of the GMCs with stellar clusters and a UV image is discussed.

Fully sampled 12CO(J=1−0) observations of the whole extent of the LMC have been made with a linear resolution of ~ 30 pc at a detection limit of N(H2) = 2 × 1021 cm−2. In addition, several selected regions have been mapped with higher sensitivity corresponding to a detection limit of 1 × 1021 cm−2. Based on these results, a new estimate of the molecular mass in the LMC is presented.

Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), one of the transition-metal dichalcogenides, is a 2-dimensional semiconducting material that has a layered structure. Owing to excellent optical and electronic properties, the ultra-thin MoS2 film is expected to be used for various devices, such as transistors and flexible displays. In this study, we investigated the physical and chemical properties of sputtered-MoS2 film in the sub-10-nm region by Raman spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). As the results of Raman spectroscopy investigations, we observed two Raman modes, E12g and A1g, in the 2-dimensional MoS2 films. As the thickness of the MoS2 film decreased, the peak frequency difference between E12g and A1g modes increased. From the XPS investigations, we confirmed sulfur reductions from the 2-dimensional MoS2 films. Therefore, we considered that the sulfur vacancies in the MoS2 film affected the Raman peak positions. Moreover, we performed the additional sulfurization of sputtered-MoS2 films. From the XPS and Raman investigations, the quality of the sputtered-MoS2 films was improved by the additional sulfurization.

Zinc oxide (ZnO) with excellent crystallinity and large electron mobility was grown on aplane (11-20) sapphire (a-Al2O3) substrates by a new chemical vapor deposition method via the reaction between dimethylzinc (DMZn) and high-energy H2O produced by a Pt-catalyzed H2-O2 reaction. The electron mobility at room temperature increased from 30 cm2/Vs to 189 cm2/Vs with increasing film thickness from 0.1 μm to approximately 3 μm. Electron mobility increased significantly with decreasing temperature to approximately 110 – 150 K, but decreased at temperatures less than 100 K for films greater than 500 nm in thickness. On the other hand, the mobility hardly changed with temperature for films lesser than 500 nm in thickness. Based on the dependence of the electrical properties on the film thickness, the ZnO films grown on a-Al2O3 substrates are considered to consist of an interfacial layer with a high defect density (degenerate layer) generated due to a large lattice mismatch between ZnO and Al2O3 substrates and an upper layer with a low defect density.

Nanoindentation test is known as instrumented indentation test (IIT) in the nano range for hardness and material parameters (ISO14577). It is a simple and effective method for evaluating the mechanical properties such as elasticity/stiffness, hardness and adhesion. Generally IIT is the method that doesn’t have to observe the residual impression. However, it is necessary to observe the residual impression and surface of test piece to obtain the material behavior such as pile-up/sink-in, crack. In past work, the phase shifting interferometric scanning confocal microscope (PSISCM)-nanoindenataion combined system was developed to obtain the tilt of surface and the geometrical shape of residual impression that are deeper than one micron. This system is useful to obtain the geometrical shape of the surface of test piece in macro and micro range. However, it is well known that the results of nanoindentation test become unstable in the nano range.

In this work, authors focused the geometry observation system for nanoindentation system. Confirmation the capability of PSISCM system and development of objective type atomic force microscopy to obtain the geometrical shape in nano range are examined. The AFM that has an excellent performance is developed by SII nanotechnology Inc. Japan, and it built into system. In many cases, it performs enough to observe the residual impression and the surface of the test piece. This system uses three methods to obtain the geometrical shape of surface in each range. Generally, AFM has the observation range at about several microns. It is difficult to search the small residual impression by only AFM. Before the observation of AFM, the observation area should be selected by using PSISCM. New measurement tool using PSISCM and AFM to obtain the surface geometry from macro range to nano range is proposed. This tool is very simple, quick and useful tool.

We present the initial results of a spectral line survey of L1157 B1 with the Nobeyama 45 m telescope. So far, we have covered the frequencey range of 13.7 GHz (82.0–94.5 GHz and 96.3–97.5 GHz), and have detected 22 species including CH3CHO, HCOOH, HCOOCH3, HNCO, NH2CHO, CH3CN, and CCS. We have also detected the line of CH2DOH. These results demonstrate rich chemistry in this shocked region, which would mainly originate from evaporation of ice mantles by means of shocks.

The crystallization of SiGe-heterostructure in which a thin Ge layer put between Si layers has been investigated. When the Ge layer is inside the Si layer, the crystallization phenomena are similar to those of SiGe alloy layer; Ge completely diffuses in Si layer during the crystallization. When the Ge layer is at the interface between the Si layer and the quartz substrate, significant enhancement of crystallization has been found. In this structure, decrease in surface free-energy increases the nucleation rate at the interface and causes anomalous localization of Ge at the interface. When the Ge layer is on the surface of the Si layer, the crystallization property is quite different from the other structures. The underlying Si layer has large and aligned grains when the furnace annealing is assisted by the laser-annealing.

A part of this work was carried out under the ASET program supported by NEDO, Japan.

Basic technologies for solving problems in thermal and light-induced degradation have been developed. The tandem type a-SiC/a-Si solar cell with blocking layers exhibits excellent stability for both thermal and sun light conditions. An observable light-induced degradation is not seen in the cell performance after light exposure test of 2000 hours. Two instability modes, that is, thermal and light-induced degradation have been investigated. For thermal degradation, a blocking layer for preventing diffusion has been inserted between the back side metal electrode and a n-layer and another blocking layer has been introduced between the np tunnel junction. To prevent light-induced degradation, p-type a-SiC layer of the pin structure on the side of a glass substrate/SnO2 has been deposited at the temperature of 70°C. The highest efficiency is 9.0% at the present stage, but it is expected to be improved to more than 10%.

Superconducting YBa2Cu307_x thin films were prepared by chemical vapor deposition using beta‐diketonate chelates on various oxide substrates and metal substrates. According to X‐ray diffraction patterns, the existence of a well‐oriented orthorhombic YBagCUgO^x structure has been confirmed in all specimens. The temperature of complete superconducting transition were observed at 89K on single‐crystalline oxide substrate, and 84K on metal substrate. Reduced critical current density of the film on single‐crystalline substrate in magnetic fields up to 600mT at 77K remained one or two order of magnitude higher than that of the film on metal substrate.

Samples of Y1‐xCaxBa2Cu4O8 are prepared by means of a new high pressure technique employing the oxygen‐HIP. We find that the transition temperature increases with Ca content, and that Tc=90K is realized at x=0.1. These data are explained by the hole concentration, i.e. average charge per [Cu‐O] site.
KEY‐WORDS: YBa2Cu4O8, Ca‐substitution, Transition temperature, Hole concentration

4H-SiC single crystals have been fabricated on the seeds of 6H-type crystals by the vacuum-sublimation (modified Lely) method at a temperature of 2400 °C and under a pressure of 2–60 mbar in an argon atmosphere. Liquid phase epitaxy was attempted by using a dipping method with a 4H-SiC off-orientation substrate whose {0001} C-face varied toward the <1120> direction by 5 degrees. The polytype of the grown crystals was found to be the 4H-type through measurements of Raman scattering and photoluminescence. P-n junction diodes were epitaxially obtained on 4H-SiC substrates. Aluminum and nitrogen were doped as acceptors and donors, respectively. The LED emitted bluish-purple light with a high brightness of 2.2 mcd at a forward current of 20 mA. Other characteristics were as follows : 420–425 nm peak wavelength, 90 % color purity, and a light output of 4 μW.

Solid phase crystallization of Si1-xGex, have been investigated by means of change in crystallinity and crystallization temperature using the ellipsometric spectroscopy (2-5 eV). Dispersion analysis on the spectra revealed that the Si1-xGex alloys show both abrupt increase and rapid saturation of the crystallinities according to the structural transitions. The saturated values of crystallinities did not reach those of single crystals in all samples and rapidly decreased with increase of Ge concentration. Ion-implanted amorphous SilxGe, exhibited much lower activation energies of re-crystallization than those of the deposited amorphous samples. Furthermore, their crystallization temperature were strongly depend on the species of implanted ions such as As+ and BF2+. It was found that the crystallization velocity of the As+-implanted Si1-xGex was estimated as 4 times faster than that of the BF2+-implanted Si1-xGex. Itinerant property of Ge in Si may give rise to the decrease of the crystallinities as well as the decrease of the activation energy of solid phase crystallization which may be strongly affected by the catalytic effects of the implanted impurities.